Patrick Selmay and his two sons Mathieu and Nicolas have made a $50,000 donation commitment to the major project to refurbish the psychiatric unit of the Hôpital du Haut-Richelieu completely. The donation was made on behalf of Mobican, a contemporary furniture manufacturer distinguished by its exceptional design and functionality while being affordable.
It is a pleasure to see the three family members at the head of the company talk with dynamism and sincerity. They insist on the importance of staying close to their employees and their community, speaking proudly of their involvement in organizations such as the gym club and various Fondation Santé activities such as the duck race, gourmet dinners, and several editions of the “Je bouge” challenge.
“It’s clear that mental health is an important issue that affects us all, and for me, it goes without saying that when you have the power to contribute in any way, you have to get involved,” says Patrick, president of the company. “St-Jean is my hometown; this is where I have my network. I was born here, and so were my children, so I feel comfortable in my community.”
As the third generation of Mobican’s management, Mathieu Selmay, Vice President of Sales, agrees with his father without hesitation.
“We share openly with our people, we work on the floor, we say hello to them in the morning, and we say goodbye to them before we leave. We are very happy to have a great relationship with them and to see that they are comfortable talking to us about their reality.”
He cites as an example the difficulties experienced by several staff members since the start of the pandemic – from managing work schedules with children at home, to psychological difficulties as a result of the lockdown and more.
“We have done everything we can to help them balance all aspects of their personal and working lives, illness, and restrictions. There is strength in numbers; we all support each other.”
Nicolas Selmay, vice president of operations, has also seen the burden of the past few years on people, particularly concerning mental health.
“On a day-to-day basis, we have seen the impact on our employees and their families increase more and more. They were very touched that we chose to invest in the project to improve the psychiatric unit,” he says. “Often, people don’t dare talk about the difficulties associated with mental health, and I’m pleased to see that our choice to contribute to this great project has already led to many people doing so.”
Being aware that the collateral damage of the pandemic could indeed last for many years to come, they intend to continue nurturing this relationship with their team members. This is part of their contribution to maintaining a healthy community.